To Win Her Favor (Zondervan, May 2015)
A gifted rider in a world where ladies never race, Maggie Linden is determined that her horse will become a champion. But the one man who could help her has vowed to stay away from thoroughbred racing forever.
An Irishman far from home, Cullen McGrath left a once prosperous life in England because of a horse racing scandal that nearly ruined him. He's come to Nashville for a fresh start, hoping to buy land and begin farming, all while determined to stay as far away from thoroughbred racing as possible. But starting over proves harder than he'd wagered, especially when Maggie Linden's father makes him an offer he shouldn't accept yet cannot possibly refuse.
Maggie is certain that her mare, Bourbon Belle, can take the top purse in the inaugural Peyton Stakes, the richest race ever run in America. Maggie only needs the chance to prove it. To give her that chance---and to save Linden Downs from being sold to the highest bidder---Maggie's father, aging, yet wily as ever, makes a barter. His agreement includes one tiny, troublesome detail---Maggie must marry a man she's never met. A man she never would have chosen for herself.
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My Thoughts:
“Sometimes in life,
when what we want most is just beyond our reach…and the ground beneath us gives
way, we must grab hold of the nearest branch.” (p. 55)
Maggie’s father spoke truth that neither of them realized at
that moment. Gilbert Linden was trying
to provide security for his daughter, and his choice of Cullen McGrath made
little sense to Maggie. In 1869, such
arrangements weren’t unheard of, but to choose an Irishman to care for your
only child made almost no sense. Tamara
Alexander tackles the ugliness of racism in all of its forms in this
story. She also takes a hard look at
trusting others, being faithful to
promises made and many other facets of the human condition that make the
difference between living and dying.
The dream of racing her thoroughbred and providing a way to
redeem the family property is a dream that seems to dissolve entirely when
Maggie learns of her father’s arrangement for her future. Cullen’s dreams of owning land in a place
where an Irishman is treated worse than pond scum seems equally
impossible. But God’s ways are not our
ways, and through an unlikely set of circumstances and a series of
heartbreaking trials, a way is made for both Cullen and Maggie to have more
than they ever dreamed possible.
The brutality of racism was very real, and Alexander uses
this as a foundation to mold the lives of her characters. They each must choose to accept or reject the
path set before them while keeping their dreams in sight. This is a very satisfying read that deals
with some very tender and vital parts of the human condition. I am happy to recommend this book to all
readers! You will come away from the story
with a full and grateful heart!
About the author:
Tamera Alexander is a best-selling novelist whose deeply drawn characters, thought-provoking plots, and poignant prose resonate with readers. Having lived in Colorado for seventeen years, she and her husband now make their home in Nashville, Tennessee, along with their two adult children who live near by. And don't forget Jack, their precious---and precocious---silky terrier.
Tamera Alexander is a best-selling novelist whose deeply drawn characters, thought-provoking plots, and poignant prose resonate with readers. Having lived in Colorado for seventeen years, she and her husband now make their home in Nashville, Tennessee, along with their two adult children who live near by. And don't forget Jack, their precious---and precocious---silky terrier.
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